Selma Christina Allen 1903 - 1909

Selma Christina Allen

Links for Selma Allen

History

Selma was born June 4, 1903 in Paradise, UT to John Ethan Allen and Margrethe Christine Teslie. She was blessed (LDS) 2 August 1903 by Gideon E Olsen (this person I believe).

The only direct mention we have of Selma is in a letter written Dec 11, 1908, to Selma's older brother Ethan from Selma's mother Margrethe. Margrethe writes:

    Selma can talk also guess what she can say "da da da ba ba ba o" she can scream and laugh at once and when papa comes in she wants him to play on the floor with her.

For her fifth birthday in 1908, she was given a "Minerva" doll. It is not known where the doll was purchased. Buschow & Beck, a German company, manufactured Minerva dolls in Germany from 1894 through the early 1930s. Tin or metal head Minerva dolls were designed with painted hair, painted eyes, and glass eyes. One possibility is that the doll was purchased was from Sears, Roebuck and Company, which offered in the early 1900's an extensive toy line which included both complete dolls and Minerva doll heads ready to be sewn onto a handmade body.

Selma's Doll ( in possession of Barbara Baird Lewis, a grand-niece of Selma) )

Selma's doll was given to her niece Darlene Allen, who in turn gave it to her daughter Barbara. From a letter Darlene wrote to her daughter Barbara about Selma and the doll:

    "I do not remember my Grandma Allen giving me the doll. I just always had the doll. I do remember playing with the doll long before I started first grade. I named her "Ji Ji". Pronounced with a long "i". I would pick a tiny Marigold flower and put in her empty eye socket. I felt sorry that she only had one eye. "Ji Ji" was my best friend and alway rode along with me on my stick horse 'Gownster'."

Selma had gray eyes and "medium brown" hair (source: Allen Family LDS Family and Individual Record Book., pg 30)

Selma died when she was six years and 2 months old of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. She became extremely ill the week before she died. Most of the time she wore her thick brown hair in one long braid hanging down her back. When her mother was getting ready to wash her hair one time she discovered a wood tick had bitten her at the base of her neck and was hidden by hair. The tick had been there long enough to be swollen with her blood to the size of a nickel. Lots of sagebrush in the area and the tick had come from the sage. (Source: Excerpts from Darlene Allen Baird's life story (Selma's niece) and a letter Darlene wrote to her daughter Barbara)

Selma Allen's Death Certificate

Selma Allen's Gravestone